The steering apparatus of this type is arranged such that in the event of a secondary collision of the vehicle occupant or operator, for example, with the steering wheel attached to the steering column, the steering column is releasable from the body of the vehicle, and axially movable in the forward direction of the vehicle, while a force of resistance to this movement of the steering column (namely, an impact energy absorbing load) is generated. That is, an impact energy absorbing member is provided to absorb an impact energy generated by the secondary collision. Described more specifically, the impact energy absorbing member is arranged, for example, to deform as the steering column is moved in the forward direction of the vehicle, so that a force which causes the deformation of the impact energy absorbing member is generated as the impact energy absorbing load. JP-U-6-79690 and JP-Y2-6-45415 disclose examples of the steering apparatus of the type described above.
The two examples of the steering apparatus disclosed in the above-identified publications use an elongate metallic plate or strip called an energy absorbing plate (impact absorbing plate), as the impact energy absorbing member. This energy absorbing plate is interposed between the steering column and a portion of the vehicle body. Described in greater detail, the steering apparatus disclosed in JP-U-6-79690 (herein after referred to as “first conventional apparatus) is provided with a column holder structure (referred to as “column bracket” in the publication) arranged to hold a column body, which is a major portion of the steering column. The energy absorbing plate has an intermediate portion in the form of a substantially U-shaped energy absorbing curved portion, which is simply accommodated in a space formed between the column body and the column holder structure. Further, the energy absorbing plate has one end portion welded or otherwise fixed to an upper portion of the outer circumferential surface of the column body. In the steering apparatus disclosed in JP-Y2-6-45415 (herein after referred to as “second conventional apparatus), on the other hand, one end portion of the energy absorbing plate is fastened to a portion of the vehicle body.